‘Fortnite’ takes video gaming by storm
Survival game is free, was released in July
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Many video games over the years from Minecraft to Call of Duty to Pokemon Go have captivated the gaming world.
Now a new king sits atop the throne.
Released in July by developer Epic Games, Fortnite has gamers of all ages immersing themselves in a post-apocalyptic landscape where they explore, scavenge, craft weapons and structures while fighting for survival from monsters or other players. The creators have likened Fortnite to a crossover between Minecraft and Left 4 Dead, two very popular gaming franchises.
Fortnite exploded in popularity at the start of the year when Epic Games released a full freeto-play version on the Xbox One, Playstation 4 and computer operating systems. The company also recently released a mobile version, which is now available on iOS and coming to Android devices soon. Epic Games said in February the game hit 3.4 million concurrent players, surpassing similar battle royale game “PlayerUnknown’s Battleground.”
The game’s immense popularity can be attributed partly to the fact that it’s free to play. Estimated to have brought in $126 million according to SuperData, a game data and market research firm, Fortnite makes revenue through in-game purchases, which allow players to acquire various weapons and character outfits, or skins.
The game’s most popular iteration, “Fortnite Battle Royale,” has 100 players airdrop onto a map and engage in a Hunger Games-esque fight to the death until one person or team is left standing. Once on the map, players explore and search for weapons and items to build structures to put them in the best possible position to win the match.
A large component of team play involves competitive strategy and communicating through headsets so teammates can share supplies and locate enemies.
“It’s easy to play but very difficult to master,” said Pete Cicero, who is 31 and started playing Battle Royale around its initial release in September. He said he anticipates the game to only grow in popularity because of the developers’ inclination to make improvements based on players’ recommendations.
“The developers are very active and listening to the player base. You don’t see that with a lot of games.” he said.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster participated in the game’s most prominent display last month when he played with hip-hop stars Drake and Travis Scott and professional gamer Tyler Blevins, who plays under the online alias “Ninja.”